United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a proclamation making Hawaii the 50th state in the Union on August 21, 1959.

Hawaii is one of the smallest states in America and is comprised entirely of small islands. The first settlers recorded there were of Polynesian descent, and the state is rich in its Pacific Islander culture.

For many years before its induction into the United States, Hawaii was used by American traders for its sandalwood and sugar cane resources. There were people who opposed Hawaii becoming a state, but their arguments were trumped by the value and strategic importance of Hawaii’s natural geography and location.